JeremyTang
09-06-2006, 05:39 PM
I was reviewing the topics on the Kiyosaki controversy and thought I'd add my 2 cents. But after writing this post, I'd thought I'd throw it in this forum instead:
Around 3 years ago, I was broke, living at my parents house with maybe less than $100 bucks in my bank account. From time to time, I'd actually run completely out of money and have to rumage through the pant pockets of my dad's jeans. I was 26, more than $40k in debt after a failed business venture had wiped me out (not to mention also wiped $200k of friends and family money out too).
I had started the businses out of highschool with two friends and my brother. We started with extremely high hopes and dreams but quickly felt the hand of reality slap us hard as we went through hell and back. I faced everything from angry creditors to angry employees to shouting matches with my business partners. The company finally exploded sometime in 2003, when we had about between 25 employees; next to nothing in sales and almost nothing left from our friends and family investments. Literally over night we laid everyone off, my brother took off and got a high paying job elsewhere, and myself and another partner were left holding the bag of debts for the company - which had at the time totalled to more money than I could even fathom.
I started to believe at that point that it would never be possible for me to become rich. At that time, I believed running a successful business was the only way to do it; and having been through one spectacular failure, I thought the chances for me would be slim to none.
After wallowing for nearly a year, directionless and recovering from the failed business, I woke up one day determined to resolved my finances, and go for financial success again. It was about that time that Rich Dad Poor Dad crossed my path, at a bookstore. I bought a copy immediately (with my almost maxed credit card!) and read the whole book immediately. I couldn't sleep for a week after that - and I still remember that week distinctly as it was a major turning point in my life. It wasn't so much that I felt his stuff was breaking new ground - it was more telling me the things that I needed (and wanted) to hear. It reinforced in my mind what I had already believed. Anyway to make a long story short, I've since gone from -$40k (in the hole) to net having net positive real estate assets of $250k in two years with a 7 rental units (including the one I live in). Not bad considering I had zilch 24 months ago! I definately credit Kiyosaki's books and philosophies as being the kick start I needed.
I have read just about every book that Robert Kiyosaki has written, and I have read many, many, many more business/investing books. Everything from Brian Tracy, Robert Allen to Suze Ordeman and beyond. The thing that stands out with Kiyosaki's books is that it's more about fundamental philosophy than it is about techniques.
But that is why I think his books, despite the lack of detailed techiques that he presents, are still better than any other business book I've read. Your core beliefs and your reality which you create for yourself is far more important to your success than any money making "technique" or "trick" that you may learn to make money. I have discovered that really and truly your own reality really is everything.
I have given Rich Dad Poor Dad to many friends and family, and oddly enough I find that people essentially learn from it only what they want to learn. Their own reality filters certain messages that they hear. Some people read that book and simply say "yeah... i agree, but... ", others say they agree but you can tell deep down inside it clashes with their reality too much for them to take action and do anything about it. I am also very consious about my own "filters", and I'm aware that I too tend to block out things that clash with my beliefs about how to attain financial success.
The point I'm trying to make is that it ultimately doesn't matter whether or not Rich Dad Poor Dad really is true or not. You will convince yourself of whatever you already believe. For the last 2 years, I have been actively looking for financially successful people to emulate what they do. And as a result I have seen first hand, people become independently wealthy and financially free doing a lot of the things that Kiyosaki says to do (and having the same general philosophy)... whether they're aware of Kiyosaki's teachings or not.
That's all the proof I need.
Around 3 years ago, I was broke, living at my parents house with maybe less than $100 bucks in my bank account. From time to time, I'd actually run completely out of money and have to rumage through the pant pockets of my dad's jeans. I was 26, more than $40k in debt after a failed business venture had wiped me out (not to mention also wiped $200k of friends and family money out too).
I had started the businses out of highschool with two friends and my brother. We started with extremely high hopes and dreams but quickly felt the hand of reality slap us hard as we went through hell and back. I faced everything from angry creditors to angry employees to shouting matches with my business partners. The company finally exploded sometime in 2003, when we had about between 25 employees; next to nothing in sales and almost nothing left from our friends and family investments. Literally over night we laid everyone off, my brother took off and got a high paying job elsewhere, and myself and another partner were left holding the bag of debts for the company - which had at the time totalled to more money than I could even fathom.
I started to believe at that point that it would never be possible for me to become rich. At that time, I believed running a successful business was the only way to do it; and having been through one spectacular failure, I thought the chances for me would be slim to none.
After wallowing for nearly a year, directionless and recovering from the failed business, I woke up one day determined to resolved my finances, and go for financial success again. It was about that time that Rich Dad Poor Dad crossed my path, at a bookstore. I bought a copy immediately (with my almost maxed credit card!) and read the whole book immediately. I couldn't sleep for a week after that - and I still remember that week distinctly as it was a major turning point in my life. It wasn't so much that I felt his stuff was breaking new ground - it was more telling me the things that I needed (and wanted) to hear. It reinforced in my mind what I had already believed. Anyway to make a long story short, I've since gone from -$40k (in the hole) to net having net positive real estate assets of $250k in two years with a 7 rental units (including the one I live in). Not bad considering I had zilch 24 months ago! I definately credit Kiyosaki's books and philosophies as being the kick start I needed.
I have read just about every book that Robert Kiyosaki has written, and I have read many, many, many more business/investing books. Everything from Brian Tracy, Robert Allen to Suze Ordeman and beyond. The thing that stands out with Kiyosaki's books is that it's more about fundamental philosophy than it is about techniques.
But that is why I think his books, despite the lack of detailed techiques that he presents, are still better than any other business book I've read. Your core beliefs and your reality which you create for yourself is far more important to your success than any money making "technique" or "trick" that you may learn to make money. I have discovered that really and truly your own reality really is everything.
I have given Rich Dad Poor Dad to many friends and family, and oddly enough I find that people essentially learn from it only what they want to learn. Their own reality filters certain messages that they hear. Some people read that book and simply say "yeah... i agree, but... ", others say they agree but you can tell deep down inside it clashes with their reality too much for them to take action and do anything about it. I am also very consious about my own "filters", and I'm aware that I too tend to block out things that clash with my beliefs about how to attain financial success.
The point I'm trying to make is that it ultimately doesn't matter whether or not Rich Dad Poor Dad really is true or not. You will convince yourself of whatever you already believe. For the last 2 years, I have been actively looking for financially successful people to emulate what they do. And as a result I have seen first hand, people become independently wealthy and financially free doing a lot of the things that Kiyosaki says to do (and having the same general philosophy)... whether they're aware of Kiyosaki's teachings or not.
That's all the proof I need.